Straight beam clamp with angularly adjustable clamping surfaces



Dec. 3, 1957 o. H. WALKER STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING SURFAGES Filed Aug. 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Dunclwuy H. Walker yyo Dec. 3, 1957 D. H. WALKER 2,815,053

STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING SURFACES Filed Aug. 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 my Fig. 5 7

INVENTOR. Dunowoy H. Walker STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE CLAM PING SURFACES Filed Aug. 20, 1954 D. H. WALKER Dec. 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 n .w T Q c. mw V n n 8 y L- a mm 3 w 7 "mm m mwmam D Y .U m B m m Ill-n r a aw- NN +a 3 mm E. Q. E. E z. A Y m Nw mm mm 3 1111: r 0 5 Z H11 m wm mm H H q m mm mm MN All. Q 6 w Eu 6 m 'support'relative to the bar.

STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMP WITH ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING SURFACES Dunaway Hundley Walker, Baltimore, Md.

Application August 20, 1954, Serial No. 451,197

2 Claims. (Cl. 144303) This invention relates to .bar clamps of the type used by furniture sash and door manufacturers and repairmen,

pattern makers in built-up work, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bar clamp having two adjustable jaws for clamping the work.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bar clamp of the above type in which the jaws are rigidly retained in adjusted position on the bar and are prevented from being displaced or distorted by pressure of the work thereagainst.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bar clamp ofthe above type which can be quickly and easily clamped in position on work of various sizes,

ment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, t I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved bar clamp of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view; Figure 4 is an enlarged detail bottom plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken along the line 66 of Figure 5;

A t Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section takenalong the line 88 of Figure 2; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken it along the line 99 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, the improved bar clamp of the present invention comprises a flat bar portion 21 making up the major portion of the entire length of the bar of any suitable length, width and thickness, having an elongated cylindrical bar portion 22 fixedly secured to one end thereof, said bar 22 as shown, has a diameter slightly less than the width of the flat portion 21 of the bar. 1

The clamp is provided with jaw-supporting elements 25 and 26. The jaw support 25 is slidable along the flat portion 21 of the bar which resists any rotation of the The jaw support 25 is also.

United Sttes atent O slidable along the bar but is adapted to slide along the cylindrical portion of the bar 22. While the present showing of the bar illustrates the bar in two pieces, the bar may 'be made in one piece by forging, extrusion, etc. Also it is not necessary to have the portion flat as it may be of any cross-sectional form to prevent the jaw support slidable along this section from rotating relative to the bar.

The jaw supporting member 25 comprises a portion 32 and an extended portion 33 arranged in suitable spaced relation to each other and to the remainder of member 25 which is adapted to be adjustably mounted along the fiat portion 21 of the bar.

Aligned apertures 35 and 36 formed in the portions 32 and 33 of the jaw support 25 provide a passage for the bar portion 21. Due to the spaced apart relationship of the inner and outer portions 32, 33, the jaw support will be prevented from rotating, or from being moved vertically with respect to the bar 21 during operation of the device, as will be understood.

The jaw support 25 is adjusted to different positions along the bar portion 21 and is held in any given adjustment by means of a pawl 37 which engages notches 38 on the upper edge of said bar, as shown in Figure 5.

Carried by the jaw support 25 is a rectangular jaw or clamp plate 41 having a serrated front or work engaging face, as clearly shown in Figure 7.

So that the jaw 41 can be tilted on both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, a pin or rod 42 is mounted within the body of said jaw and is disposed on te vertical center line thereof.

A link 43, having an eye 45 at one end disposed in an opening 46 of the jaw 41 receives the upper portion of the pin 42. The other end of the link is pivotally connected to the portion 33 of the member 25 by means of a pivot pin 47. The pivotal connection of the link 43 with the jaw 41 is loose, so as to permit free tilting movements of the jaw.

Also mounted on the pin 42 is one end of a link 48, which is disposed in an opening formed in the jaw 41 at suitable distance beneath the link 43. The link 48 is connected to the forward end of a screw threaded rod 49 by means of a pin 50 arranged to permit the rod 49 to move vertically about its pivotal connection with the link 48.

Extending outwardly from the portion 32 of the jaw supports 25 is a leg 51 having an elongated aperture 52 formed vertically therein. The threaded rod 49 extends through the aperture 52 and has mounted thereon a pair of nuts 53 and 54. As shown best in Figure 5, nut 53 is arranged to be turned up on the threaded rod 49 and engage the surface 55 of the leg 51 while the nut 54 is arranged to be screwed into engagement with the surface 56 of said leg. The construction and arrangement of the parts is such that the jaw 41 can be positioned in difierent angular relationships with respect to the bar 21. In Figures 1 and 5, the jaw 41 is shown arranged in a position substantially at right angles with respect to the bar 21. When it is desired to shift the position of the jaw 41 with respect to the bar 21, the nuts 53 and 54 are unscrewed to loosen the connection of the rod 49 with the jaw supports 25. The rod 49 is then moved rectilinearly in a direction to position the plate at the desired angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the elongated axis of the bar. During such rectilinear movement imparted to the rod 49 the jaw 41 will be tilted about the pivot provided by pin 47. In Figure 1 the jaws 41 and 65 are both shown in dotted lines tilted in the same direction, and in Figure 5 the jaw 41 is shown indotted lines tilted in a vertical plane relative to the elongated axis of the bar. Due to the manner in which the pin 42 is mounted in the jaw and the manner in which the jaw is pivotally connected to the member 33 the jaw may also be turned about its vertical axis and positioned in the angular relations with respect to the bar 21 shown by broken lines in Figure 4. In order to permit the jaw 41 to swing freely on the vertical pivot provided by the pin 42, the upper portion of said jaw is formed with a notch 57, through which the bar 21 passes in the manner clearly shown in Figure 7.

The adjustable jaw support 26 is provided with an aperture 61 extending therethrough and is slidably mounted on the cylindrical portion 22 of the bar. The clamp support 26 is provided with an extension 62 and an apertured boss 63 depending from one side thereof.

Carried by the extension 62 of the jaw support is a rectangular jaw or clamp plate 65 having a serrated front or working engaging face, as clearly shown in Figure 9.

So that the jaw 65 can be tilted on both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, a pin or rod 66 is mounted within the body of said jaw and is disposed on the vertical center line thereof.

A link 67, having an eye 68 at one end disposed in an opening 69 of the jaw 65, receives the upper portion of the pin 66. The other end of the link 67 is pivotally connected to the portion 62 of the jaw support 26 by means of a pin 78. The pivotal connection of the link 67 with the jaw 65 is loose, so as to permit free tilting movement of the jaw.

Also mounted on the pin 66 is one end of a link 71 which is disposed in an opening formed in the jaw 65 at a suitable distance beneath the link 67. The link 71 is connected to the forward end of a screw threaded rod 72 by means of a pin 73 arranged to permit the rod 72 to move vertically about its pivotal connection with the link 71.

The threaded rod 72 extends through the aperture 74 of the boss 63. Threadably receivable on the rod 72 is a pair of adjusting nuts 75 and '76.

As shown best in Figure 8, nut 75 is arranged to be turned up on the threaded rod 72 and engage the surface 77 of the portion 68 of the jaw support 36, while the nut 76 is arranged to be screwed into contact with the surface 78 of the portion 63 of the jaw support 26. The construction and the arrangement of the parts is such that the jaw 65 can be positioned in diiferent angular relationships with respect to the bar portions 21 and 22. In full lines in Figures 1 and 8, the jaw 65 is shown arranged in a position substantially at right angles with respect to the elongated axis of the bar. When it is desired to adjust the position of the jaw 65, said jaw can be quickly shifted to another position in a manner similar to that heretofore described in connection with the jaw 41. Thus both jaws 41 and 65 can be arranged in various positions on the bar, so that work having many different shapes and positions to be clamped can be accommodated with the clamp.

Mounted on the extremity of the cylindrical rod 22 is a block 81 having a threaded opening 82 formed therein for a screw 83, which screw at its outer end has a handle 84 for turning. The screw 83 is arranged in parallel rela tionship with respect to the bar 22 and at its forward end is provided with an extension 85 which passes through aperture 86 formed in the portion 62 of the jaw support 26. The block 81 is retained in position on the reduced end portion 89 of the rod portion 22 by means of a nut 88. The position of the jaw support 26 about the cylindrical portion of the bar is adjustable by the block 81 which may be done by loosening the nut 88 and rotating the block. The forward end of the screw 83 is retained in relative aligned position with the jaw supporting member 26 by means of a sleeve 90 mounted on the portion 85 of said screw and retained in position thereon by means of a pin 91. The sleeve is rotatably receivable into a well 34 which straddles the portion 86 and is retained therein by the portion 85 of the screw 83 extending through the aperture 86.

In order to permit the jaw 65 to swing freely on the vertical pivot provided by the pin 66, the upper portion of said jaw is formed with a notch 94 through which the bar 22 passes in the manner clearly shown in Figure 9.

The clamp operates substantially the same as other clamps of this character. The jaw support 25 is first set in the position on the bar 21 in which the work can be loosely positioned between the jaws 41 and 65. The handle 84 is then operated to turn the screw 83 and thereby cause the jaw support 25 and the jaw 65 carried thereby to move toward the jaw 41 whereby the work will be tightly clamped between the two jaws.

There are many articles, particularly different types of chairs, which require gluing which do not have parallel surfaces upon which the clamp must be fastened. Also there are many instances where the clamping jaws can not be in alignment. Therefore, the collar 81 and the securing nut 88 provide means for rotating the jaw support 26 about the cylindrical bar portion 22 to provide for this need.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A clamp, comprising an elongated bar, a pair of jaw supporting member slidably receivable one on each end of the bar, one of the jaw supports being slidable along the bar only in a fixed plane relative to the elongated axis of the bar having means associated therewith for releasably fixing its relative position thereon, the other jaw support being adjustable relative to the opposite end of the bar by a threaded screw and adjustable to fixed position in a plane at right angles to the elongated axis of the bar, a screw supporting block having a threaded aperture therethrough for threadably receiving the said screw and a second aperture for securing the block to the bar, means for fixing the block in selected positions in a plane at right angles to the elongated axis of the bar, one end of the screw being rotatably supported in the second mentioned jaw supporting element and means on its opposite end for rotating the same, the screw and the second mentioned jaw support being movable and fixable in selected positions by the screw supporting block, a jaw carried on each of the jaw supporting members and to one side of the bar, means carried on each of the jaw supporting members for fixing the plane of the jaw relative to a plane perpendicular to the elongated axis of the bar.

2. A clamp comprising an elongated bar, a pair of jaw supporting members slidably receivable one on each end of the bar, one of the jaw supports being'slidable along the bar only in a fixed plane relative to the elongated axis of the bar having means associated therewith for releasably fixing its relative position thereon, the other jaw support being adjustable relative to the opposite end of the bar by a threaded screw and adjustable to fixed position in a plane at right angles to the elongated axis of the bar, a screw supporting block having a threaded aperture therethrough for threadably receiving the said screw and a second aperture for securing the block to the bar, means for fixing the block in selected positions in a plane at right angles to the elongated axis of the bar, one end of the screw being rotatably supported in the second mentioned jaw supporting element and means on its opposite end for rotating the same, the screw and the second mentioned jaw support being movable and fixed in selected positions by the screw supporting block, a clamping jaw carried on each of the jaw supports, means carried on each of the jaw supports for fixing the plane of the clamping surfaces of the jaws, said means comprising a threaded shaft having one end hingedly secured to the clamping jaw, a boss extending up from each of the jaw supports having an opening therethrough through which the threaded shaft extends, a pair of positioning nuts on the threaded shaft positioned on each side of the opening through the boss for adjusting the threaded rods relative thereto, whereby the clamping jaws may be adjusted in fixed position relativeto a plane extending perpendicular 927,067 Ofiineer July 6, 1909 to the longitudinal axis of the bar. 1,045,974 Haines Dec. 3, 1912 1,348,148 Bergstrom Aug. 3, 1920 References Cited in the file of thispatent 1,403,580 Venema I an. 17, 1922 UNITED STATES PA 5 1, ;i P 1 2 2,639,745 Daw ins May 26, 1953 360,974 Shaw 1887 2,656,864 Hopfeld Oct. 27, 1953 641,694 Hamelehle Jan. 23, 1900 893,949 Taylor July 21, 1908 

